General SportbikesThis area is for sport bike discussion in general. Topics that don't really belong anywhere else can go here. Questions can be answered and addressed to fully understand certain aspects of the sport. If your question is manufacturer specific please post it there.
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No I didn't get her pregnant. I love her and I want to be with her, and so I don't really see the point in waiting. Besides, she is in law school and has already promised me a bike once she passes the bar and gets a decent job.

Anyways, to respond to some of the replies: yes insurance is that bad for any 1000. I've called and done lots of online quotes. Any SS1000 is a nightmare. FZ1s of a similar year are like less than half of what an R1 costs to insure. I'd sorta like the FZ1 for improved ability to take my woman...but it's not like she is a big girl. She only weighs 90 pounds and I'm 175...but of course more CCs and torque would be better. It is hard to find a decent 06 or 07 FZ1 in my lprice range though :/.

I don't know how much of an issue tires would be. On my ZX10 I put 6k miles on my rear tire and still had at least another 3-4k left in it...i imagine the FZ1 would only be easier on them since it has like 20-30hp less than the 10.

Also I really don't want a twin cylinder. I love the way a four cylinder pulls.

Anyways, to respond to some of the replies: yes insurance is that bad for any 1000. I've called and done lots of online quotes. Any SS1000 is a nightmare. FZ1s of a similar year are like less than half of what an R1 costs to insure.

Well, which is it? Both those statements cannot be true.

Some insurance companies go by CC, and some go by classes of bikes, and some go by both.

LOL IF! She gets a job after law school. Not meaning to be debbie downer, but let's face facts. The current market for law school graduates is absolutely atrocious. Unless you have connections, graduate from a top 14 law school, or graduate top 5% of your class its pretty difficult. Good luck to her though!

http://www.hazardousracing.com/
Thanks to Hazardous Racing for helping me get to the track!

I meant to say that insurance is that bad for any SS1000. The Z1000 isn't as bad and the 919 isn't too bad either, but I really don't care for those.

My dad and uncle started a law firm about 25 years ago that has been pretty successful. They have good relationships with numerous other law firms in the city....so I'm not worried about her ability to find a job.

So I sold my ZX10R. It was a very sad day...but I'm getting married and so I need something that is going to be cheaper to insure. I've narrowed it down to a couple of things and I'll explain why.

2004 FZ1 lightly modded.

2006 ZX6R 636 bone stock

I can insure the FZ1 with full coverage for about $800/year. I can insure the 636 with everything except collision for about $1000/year.

Here are my thoughts:

FZ1

Liter power
cheaper insurance even w/collision

636
Prettier (to me)
Better MPG
More nimble/flickable
I imagine it would be a lot more fun in the twisties than the FZ1.

So which would you go for? My woman will want to ride with me on occasion, but more often than not, I'll probably be solo. I daily rode my ZX10 for six months and so I'm not worried about daily riding a 636. I much prefer the more aggressive position to a laid back one....but even though the 636 is by no means slow, I'm worried that I might miss that wonderful, instant, in-your-face liter bike power.

Thoughts?

My $0.02...get the Fazer. You'll never regret buying a bike that has comfier ergos or cheaper insurance with more power than a 636. The money you save on insurance could then be invested in a life insurance policy, the stock market, or, hell, aftermarket goodies for your future steed.

Oh, and if you can't make a bike fun in the twisties (regardless of displacement), then don't bother riding.

"If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us now. We seek not your counsel, nor your arms. Crouch down, now, and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may Posterity forget that ye were our countrymen!" - Samuel Adams, Founder, brewer, and patriot.

I wish I could get a piece of that $250/year for full coverage pie. I can't get anything I want to ride anywhere near that price. For me any sort of sportbike bottoms out at $800/year for full coverage...and the vast majority are double or three times that amount